Community Rides Grant Program Summary

Request for Proposals

Application Due Date: October 23, 2026

Timeline 

• September 22, 2026: Request for proposals (RFP) published 

• September 29, 2026: Informational webinar for interested applicants 

• October 23, 2026: Grant application due date 

• December 15, 2026: Approximate date of grant award announcements 

• December 2026/January 2027: RTAP will work with selected grantees to prepare for year-one grant activity 

• February 1, 2027: Year-one grant activity begins 

• January 31, 2028: All Community Rides Grant projects must be completed  

• March 31, 2028: Final Report is a separate deliverable to National RTAP using the template that we will provide. This will be a separate deliverable and invoiced upon receipt at a set rate established by National RTAP.  

 The online grant portal will open on or before September 22, 2026. National RTAP will not accept mail, fax, or email submissions. A link to access the grants portal will be posted to the Community Rides Grant (https://www.nationalrtap.org/News/Community-Rides-Grants) information webpage.

PART I – GRANT PROGRAM DESCRIPTION  

Program Description  

The National Rural Transit Assistance Program (National RTAP) is accepting proposals under the Community Rides Grant Program.  Contingent on federal funding availability, the Community Rides Grant program will award approximately $250,000 under this competitive grant program. This RFP and selection process will occur in 2026. The awarded projects will start work Feb. 1, 2027, and all reimbursement must end by January 31, 2028.   

These funds will support projects that enhance and strengthen partnerships that increase mobility and improve transportation access in rural communities. Grants of up to $75,000 each will be funded for up to thirteen (12) months.  

Eligible projects under this grant program are any projects eligible under the Formula Grants for Rural Areas Program (49 USC Section 5311) that meet the Community Rides Grant Program goals and objectives, with the exception of vehicle purchases or for existing transit services. Proposals must include a minimum on one local community partner (see Section Eligible Projects for further details). 

See Community Rides grant webpage for links to the Grants Application Portal and past funded project examples: (https://www.nationalrtap.org/News/Community-Rides-Grants). 

Program Goals  

The Community Rides Grant Program goals are to:  

1. Develop and strengthen partnerships between transit providers, community stakeholders and/or other agencies to increase transit access and support the technical capacity in rural communities.  

2. Fill gaps in service and reduce duplication to build transit services that are responsive to the needs and values of the community, in particular serving populations affected by the opioid epidemic, or other economic, social, or health challenges.   

3. Document strategies for partnering and responding to community mobility needs and share strategies and case studies nationally with rural transportation programs.  

Outcomes 

Successful Community Rides projects will help to reduce transportation as a barrier to independence and health at each stage of life and will increase awareness of transit’s important role in supporting individual and community mobility independence. Projects will improve access to critical needs like employment, healthcare, education, healthy food, and/or recreation.   

Project Objectives 

Proposals should demonstrate that they meet the following objectives:   

1. Directly linked to the health of the community. Healthcare, housing, employment, education, healthy food, and recreation are part of a healthy life and healthy community. Identify how your project improves the health of your community, the segments of the community your project is geared toward, and the community partners that support that target population.  

2. Scaled to the rural environment. Rural and regional strategies need to be actionable in communities with limited resources, long travel distances, and low-population density.  

3. Innovative. Is this a new strategy or partnership? Is it a tactic used for other purposes or populations but has not been used with rural transit programs or community partners? Is there existing documentation, or would this be the first attempt to document this strategy?   

4. Replicable. While every rural community is unique, what shared strategies from your project would support the needs of other rural communities facing similar challenges.   

5. Financial Viability. The proposed project should not require more resources than are available now or will be available when the project is successfully implemented. If there is an increase in service area or hours, document how this will be covered with existing or new grant programs, clients, agencies, or employers.  

Potential Projects  

Project examples to support mobility and improve transit access in rural communities through partnerships:  

• Improving existing services by adding hours, days, or modes to improve access to healthcare, food, and employment 

• Starting an employment transportation program 

• Marketing and community engagement 

• Rural Transportation Management Association (TMA) or employment vanpool  

• Planning and implementing technology solutions to support transit operations 

• Feeder route for intercity connections 

• Assess the feasibility of on-demand rural transit solutions in your community 

• Implement feasible rural on-demand transit solutions (include feasibility analysis)  

• Build partnerships across public and private stakeholders to develop a framework for regional coordination (Reference: Seamless Rides: A Practitioner’s Guide to DRT Data Standards and What They Mean for Your Agency / https://www.nationalrtap.org/Resources/Best-Practices-Spotlight/seamless-rides) 

• Improving transportation information and trip planning capacity to increase awareness of existing transit services and improve the ease-of-use for riders, e.g.; 

  • Implementing GTFS-Flex data standard  

  • Assistance with publishing your fixed-route schedules on Google, Apple, or Transit trip planners. This may include revising and improving your website, real-time information from your existing data feeds, or other branding and marketing activities. 

• Implementing RideSheet scheduling platform to support transit operations and streamline reporting for your state and federal grants This could include proposals for implementing at multiple sites for improved regional access (Reference: From Whiteboards to RideSheet: How Rural Transit Agencies are Supporting Scheduling Operations / https://www.nationalrtap.org/Resources/Best-Practices-Spotlight/archive-from-whiteboards-to-ridesheet). 

Refer to FTA Circular C 9040.1H for more information about eligible projects and activities under the Section 5311 program (https://www.transit.dot.gov/regulations-and-programs/fta-circulars/formula-grants-rural-areas-program-guidance).  

Examples of project benefits are listed below. Each applicant will need to describe the benefits their project will provide and identify performance measures to be used to determine the success of the project.   

• Increase in trips/ridership  

• Attract new transit riders  

• Increase in travel options (times and destinations)  

• Improved efficiency of transit operations  

• More utilization of healthcare and addiction treatment, fewer missed appointments, and costs savings for healthcare providers  

• Increased access to employment and employees, less absenteeism, and increased productivity  

Eligible Applicants  

Eligible applicants for awards are existing or eligible recipients or sub-recipients under the Formula Grants for Rural Areas Program (49 U.S.C. Section 5311) (https://www.transit.dot.gov/rural-formula-grants-5311). Applicants should have no outstanding legal or financial issues. Applicants must serve as the lead agency.   

Local Partnerships  

The Community Rides Grant Program is focused on developing and strengthening local partnerships to improve the availability, efficiency, access, and economic vitality of transit services and mobility management practices in rural communities.  Your proposal must have written agreements with one or more local partner organization(s) that demonstrate their involvement in planning and implementing the proposed project. Written agreements may include memorandums of understanding (MOU) or letters of commitment. Further evidence of partnerships will be documentation of partner roles and responsibilities.  

Local partner examples: healthcare provider, recovery center, health clinic, community organization, chambers of commerce, community college, business center/employer(s), local transportation organization.   

A minimum of one letter of commitment from a local partner is required.  

Deliverables  

1. Plan and implement a mobility project supporting economic vitality in rural communities through increased transit access to employment, healthcare, education, healthy food, social services, and/or recreation.  

2. New or stronger relationships with transportation providers or partner organizations at the local, regional and state levels. 

3. Monthly status updates and project meetings 

4. Final report that documents the improvements to the transit system, the partnerships developed, the replicability, financial stability, and the impacts on the community.  

5. Presentation at the end of the project to share its impact and lessons.  

Project Milestones  

Applicants need to identify the milestones (key activities/achievements) appropriate to their project in the narrative section of the application form. In particular, within the first six months, projects must be able to demonstrate outcomes that support the grant program goals.  

Support and Technical Assistance  

National RTAP will provide support and technical assistance to grantees throughout the grant period of performance. 

Informational Webinar  

A webinar will be held to answer questions and provide an overview of this RFP and the online grant application portal. During registration, you can submit questions to be addressed during the webinar. Visit the Community Rides Grant Program (https://www.nationalrtap.org/News/Community-Rides-Grants) webpage to register. Webinar recordings will be posted to the webpage).  

• Webinar – See Community Rides Grant webpage for date, time and registration link. 

Contact Information  

Visit the Community Rides Grant Program (https://www.nationalrtap.org/News/Community-Rides-Grants ) webpage for complete information about the program, helpful resources, link to the grant application portal, information about previously funded projects, and to sign up to receive updates. If you have questions about the Grant Program, please grants@nationalrtap.org.   

Part II - Grant Award Information  

Award Amounts  

National RTAP will award grants, a minimum of $25,000 and up to $75,000, to assist transit programs in taking the next steps in forming local mobility partnerships. National RTAP intends to fund as many meritorious projects as possible. National RTAP may award a lesser amount than requested. 

Eligible Projects  

Eligible projects are any project eligible under the Formula Grants for Rural Areas Program for 5311 (https://www.transit.dot.gov/rural-formula-grants-5311) that meets the Community Rides Grant Program goals and objectives. An eligible project can be a stand-alone project or represent a critical step(s) to implement a larger project beyond the budget and scope of this program. In either case, a discrete deliverable or set of deliverables representing the work carried out under this funding award must be documented in the proposal along with a description of how the deliverable(s) advances a larger project idea.  

Funding Restrictions  

Community Rides Grant Program funds may be used for expenses eligible under FTA Section 5311, with the exception of vehicle purchases or for existing services. Funds cannot be used to reimburse applicants for otherwise eligible expenses incurred prior to the selection of projects under this program, or to supplant funding for existing services.  

Cost Sharing or Matching 

Matching funds are not required, but applicants should identify any additional staff support (including management) to be provided by the applicant/partner agencies, as well as other costs that the applicant/partner agencies will cover.    

If additional sources of funding are essential to the success of the project, they must be identified, and documentation must be provided to show that outside funding can be used for this project. The applicant must explain how they plan to secure the funding, if not currently available, and document that the funding is eligible for this purpose.  

Award Information  

National RTAP will only reimburse for project costs incurred after selection and after the grant agreement is signed by both parties. National RTAP will issue specific guidance to recipients at the time of selection. Grant funds will be distributed on a reimbursement basis after expenses are incurred. Monthly invoices must be submitted with proper documentation to be reimbursed.  

Grant Management Requirements and Reporting 

Applicants must apply through National RTAP’s online grant management portal (SurveyMonkey Apply) and must agree to adhere to FTA grant requirements. Grant recipients will be required to submit monthly project status updates and invoices with proper documentation of expenses in SurveyMonkey Apply.  

All applicants must identify project performance measures, and grant recipients will develop an evaluation plan to measure a project's success. An independent evaluation of the project may occur during and/or at the end of the grant program. National RTAP and FTA may request data to support an independent evaluation and program report.  

Standard Assurances  

By submitting an application, the applicant assures that it will comply with all applicable Federal statutes, regulations, executive orders, FTA circulars, and other Federal administrative requirements in carrying out any project supported by the FTA grant. The applicant acknowledges that it is under a continuing obligation to comply with the terms and conditions of the grant agreement issued for its project. The applicant understands that Federal laws, regulations, policies, and administrative practices might be modified from time to time and may affect the implementation of the project. The applicant agrees that the most recent Federal requirements will apply to the project unless National RTAP issues a written determination otherwise. The applicant must submit the Certifications and Assurances before receiving a grant if it does not have current certifications on file with FTA. 

Part III – Application Instructions  

A. Application and Submission Information  

Up-to-date information about this RFP, registration for the webinars, and additional resources can be found on the Community Rides Grant Program (https://www.nationalrtap.org/News/Community-Rides-Grants) webpage. Applications must be submitted through National RTAP’s grant application and management system, which will open on September 16 2026. Instructions for how to use the system will be provided when it opens.  A link to the application portal will be available on the Community Rides Grant Program webpage. 

A completed application consists of the following. All required sections of the online application form must be completed.  

• Grant Application Form (Project Name, Applicant Information, Project Summary, Narrative);   

• Budget Forms (Project Budget and Budget by Milestone);   

• At least one Local Partner Letter of Commitment;   

• Letter of Authorization from the Transit Executive and/or Governing Board; and   

• Up to four additional Letters of Support (optional).   

Applicants may attach no more than 20 pages of additional supporting information that is directly related to the application and is referenced in the project narrative, such as excerpts of transportation plans with the relevant page number(s) noted.   

All proposals must be completed and submitted online no later than 11:59pm Eastern Daylight Time on October 23, 2026. Proposals received after the due date and time, as well as those submitted by fax, mail or e-mail will be deemed non-responsive.    

B. Eligibility Form  

Before starting your online grant proposal, applicants will be required to answer these questions:  

1. Is the lead applicant eligible to receive FTA Section 5311 funding?  

2. Do you have authorization from your transit agency’s executive and/or governing board to apply for this grant program and to implement the proposed project?  

3. Do you have a letter or written agreement from a partner organization that commits to being involved in planning and implementing the proposed project?   

4. Does your organization have any outstanding legal or financial issues?  

5. Does your proposal involve using these grant funds to purchase a vehicle?  

6. Will the funding from this grant replace current funding for existing services?  

C. Grant Application Form  

All requested information must be provided in the online grant application portal. Below are all of the grant application questions, word limits, and other requirements that you will find in the online system.   

Applicants are encouraged to provide clear and concise responses to all questions.  Word limits are specified below and are incorporated in the online application.     

1. Project Name  

• Your application will be identified in the online system by the Project Name.  You may use your agency name as the Project Name or choose a more descriptive name for your project.  

2. Applicant Information  

• Applicant Name (Agency/Organization Name), Address, Website (if applicable)  

• Contact Information for Primary and Secondary Contacts: Name, Title, Phone, Email  

• Agency/Organization Type: select all that apply; if Other, please provide specific information in the space provided.   

  • Rural Transit Agency, Small Urban Transit Agency, Regional Transit Authority, Transit District, Local or County Government, Community Action Program, Area Agency on Aging, State Department of Transportation, Other   

• Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Employer Identification Number (EIN)  

• Congressional District, Representative, and Contact Information (Address, Phone, Email)  

• FTA Region  

• Service Area Geography  

  • Brief description of the area: may include the percent urban/suburban/rural of the area, square mileage, and/or descriptors such as very spread out, rugged, mountain terrain, etc. that provides reviewers with a concise picture of the area.  

  (Limited to 30 words or less)  

• Technical and Organizational Capacity:   

  • How many years has the lead applicant been receiving Section 5311 funding?   

  • How many full-time equivalent (FTE) employees are at your organization, including drivers?  

  • What is the size of your fleet?  

  • How would you describe the applicant’s technical and organizational capacity? 

(Limited to 300 words)  

3. Project Summary  

• Provide a concise summary of the project, the purpose (overall goal), objectives and the specific outcome(s) you expect to attain from the Community Rides Grant. Think of this as your elevator speech.   

(Limited to 100 words)  

4. Narrative   

• Which project type best describes your project? Select one or “Other.”  

  • New or enhanced routes to increase access to healthcare, addiction treatment/recovery, employment, shopping, social services, or other health-supportive destinations.  

  • Transportation management association (TMA) or employment vanpool.  

  • Feeder route for intercity/regional connectivity to increase access to jobs and medical care.  

  • Improving transportation information and trip planning capacity to increase awareness of existing transit services and improve the ease-of-use for riders.  

  • Implementing new technology to improve the efficiency of transit operations in order to increase/improve service.  

  • Consolidation of transit providers or operations to maintain/increase service capacity.  

  • Other (Please specify.) 

• Provide a detailed project description that responds to the following questions:  

  • What are the project goals and anticipated outcomes?  

  • What are the key project activities and milestones?  

  • What challenges do you expect to face with this project?  

  • How will you make the project successful? Be sure to identify your plans for marketing and outreach. 

(Limited to 1,000 words)  

• Provide a detailed project timeline by quarter (up to 12 months) for accomplishing the project goals and deliverables listed above. Be sure to address:   

  • What will you do in the first 30 days to launch the project?  

  • What milestones do you plan to achieve on a quarterly basis?  

  • What are the six month demonstrated outcomes?  

  • What is the completed project at the end of the contract?  

(Limited to 750 words)  

• Describe the need for the project and the project benefits:  

  • What need is the project responding to? Be specific and provide evidence if available (e.g., requests from stakeholders, rider feedback, other data).  

  • How will the project benefit the community? Be specific.   

  • Who is the target population/beneficiary for this project?  

(Limited to 500 words)  

• Describe how the project supports the Community Rides Grant Program goals and how it meets the project objectives listed on pages 2 and 3 of the RFP. In particular:  

  • How does the project improve transportation access and mobility to support the health and well-being in the community?  

  • How is the project scaled to the rural environment?   

  • How is the project innovative?  

  • How is the project replicable?  

  • What does the project look like after the grant funding and how will it be financially stable?  For example, how will ongoing costs for this project be funded? 

(Limited to 1,000 words)  

• Identification of all project partners and their specific role in the project. For each committed project partner as well as potential partners, please provide:  

• Partner Contact Information (Organization, Staff Contact, Address, Phone, Email, Website)  

• What is your current relationship with the partner?  

• What is the partner’s role in the project, including activities or milestones?  

(Limited to 500 words per partner)  

• Evidence that the project is consistent with or coordinated with local, regional, or state plans.    

  • Is the project derived from a locally developed coordinated transportation plan and/or regional/statewide transit plan? Please explain. 

    • Please include links to the plan(s), or you may upload attachments. Provide direct page references whenever possible.  

  • If the project is not currently included in a plan, is amending the plan part of this proposed Community Rides Grant Program project? Please explain.  

    • Please upload a draft amendment as an attachment.  

(Limited to 400 words)  

• Identify specific performance measures the project will use to quantify actual outcomes against expected outcomes and/or to know whether the project was successful or not. (Each grantee will be required to submit reports utilizing those performance measures).   

  • List the performance measures you will use to evaluate the success of the project.  

  • List the data you will collect to measure project performance. (Examples include ridership data, data on missed appointments or employee absenteeism, etc.)  

(Limited to 500 words)  

• An explanation of the scalability of the project (if applicable)   

  • Could the project scope be decreased in the case of insufficient funding? How?   

  • What is the minimum funding amount to achieve the scaled back project that still meets the program goals and deliverables?  

(Limited to 400 words)   

5. Budget  

• Budget Forms  

  • Provide a detailed Project Budget and a Budget by Milestone, using the Budget Template provided within the application portal. The amount of requested funding in each category must be specified on the form (see Line-Item Categories below).  

  • Be sure to include a description for all budget items. All expenses must be directly related to this project and cannot be used for existing services.  

  • In no case may the Community Rides Grant Program budget requested exceed $75,000  

  • In the Outside Funding column, please identify any costs (e.g., personnel, office space, or other direct or indirect costs) that will be covered by the applicant and partner agency or by outside funding (e.g., additional grants or new program income). Please identify the funding sources in the Description field.  

• Budget Line-Item Categories:   

  • Personnel costs should specify salary costs (hourly rate, number of staff, number of hours) and associated fringe benefits (and how fringe is calculated) to carry out project activities.    

  • Travel costs are for staff travel and may include per diem for meals.  

  • Consultant or contractor fees and travel anticipated by the applicant should be included as a separate category in the budget.   

  • Operating costs for new or expanded services directly related to this project.  

  • Capital costs directly related to this project (except vehicle purchases, which are ineligible).   

  • Meeting/training costs may include the costs of holding one or more community forums plus costs associated with smaller collaborative meetings.  Such costs may include space rental, copying materials, AV equipment rental, speaker fees/travel costs.  Food/Non-alcoholic beverage costs associated with meetings are eligible.  

  • Other direct costs may include office space rental/utilities (to be calculated based on personnel costs), telephone/fax, photocopying, printing, postage, project related supplies, computer/software/technology costs, marketing/media/outreach costs.    

  • Indirect costs may be included in the budget. Details regarding how indirect costs are calculated, including a copy of the organization’s approved Indirect Rate, must be submitted as part of the final budget that grantees must develop within two weeks of award notification.  

• Budget narrative (Limited to 500 words)  

  • How will the items in your budget (submitted using the Budget Forms) help you achieve the project goals?  

  • If additional staff support or in-kind contributions will be provided by the applicant or partner agencies, describe them here.  

  • If you are planning to utilize outside sources of funding for this project, in addition to the Community Rides Grant funds: 

    • Explain the role of the outside funding in the project and how critical it is to the project’s success.   

    • Describe the process of securing that funding, if it is not already available.  

    • Provide documentation (may be uploaded as an attachment if necessary) that the outside funds can be used for this project.  

    • Explain how you would adjust the project if the outside funds are not secured. 

6. Letters of Commitment, Authorization, and Support  

• All applicants must upload at least one letter of commitment from a key partner organization for this project.   

  • The letter(s) should specifically describe the planned role of the partner in the proposed project, anticipated support (including monetary or in-kind support) to be provided, if applicable, and a list of anticipated project activities in which the partner will be involved.   

  • Any changes to the proposed partnerships will require National RTAP’s advanced approval and must be consistent with the scope of the approved project.  

• Applicants must upload a Letter of Authorization from the Transit Agency Executive and/or Governing Board (or similar) to verify that they have the authority and full support of their agency to apply for this grant and implement the proposed project.  

• (Optional) Applicants may also upload up to four letters of support from other allied organizations and stakeholders, including institutions, companies, organizations, or government agencies. Although support at all levels (local to federal) is valuable, support at the local level is most important.  

Part IV – Application Review 

A. Incomplete Proposals  

Incomplete or non-responsive proposals will not be considered. Only proposals that meet the Minimum Criteria detailed below will be reviewed.  

Minimum criteria used to determine acceptability of application: 

All applications received will be screened to determine acceptability. ALL the criteria listed below must be met, or the proposal will not be considered for review.   

1. Application submitted by eligible organization.  

2. Application received by the deadline.  

3. Application submitted electronically.  

4. Application is complete (Grant Application Form, Budget Forms, at least one Partner Letter of Commitment, Letter of Authorization, and up to four Letters of Support (optional)).  

5. Request for funding does not exceed $75,000.  

6. Project funding will not be directly used to purchase a vehicle.  

7. Project funding will not be used to supplant current funding for existing services.  

B. Explanation of Ratings and Evaluation Criteria  

The Review Committee will consider the following questions as part of the evaluation process, in addition to how clearly and completely the applicants respond to each question in the application.  

• Demonstration of need.  

  • How well does the application demonstrate a specific need?  

  • How well does the proposed project address the stated need?  

  • How significant is the need that this project aims to address?  

  • Whose needs are being addressed by this project? 

• Demonstration of benefits and fulfillment of the program goals and project objectives.  

  • How well does the application detail the benefits of the project?  

  • How significant are the benefits of the proposed project?  

  • Who will benefit from the proposed project?  

  • How well does the proposed project support each of the program goals?  

    • Develop and strengthen partnerships between transit providers, community stakeholders and/or other agencies to increase mobility and improve the transportation access to health and other critical services in rural communities.  

    • Fill gaps in service and reduce duplication to build transit services that are responsive to the needs and values of the community. 

    • Increase access to non-transit funding sources that can fund transportation and support the program’s financial stability.   

    • Document strategies for partnering and responding to community mobility needs and share strategies nationally with rural transportation programs.  

• How well does the proposed project meet each of the following objectives?  

  • Directly linked to the health of the community;  

  • Scaled to the rural environment;  

  • Innovative;  

  • Replicable; and  

  • Financially stable/life beyond this grant. 

• Planning, partnerships, and community support.  

  • How strong are the partnerships described in the application?   

  • How strong is the community support for the project?  

  • How well does the proposed project incorporate meaningful ongoing involvement from key stakeholders and the target audience of the project?  

  • How well does the proposed project align with existing local, regional or statewide plans? Or if proposing a plan amendment, how well does the amendment align with existing plans?   

• Technical and organizational capacity of the applicant.  

  • To what degree does the applicant have the technical capacity to implement the project?  

  • How feasible is the proposed project, including the goals, budget, timeline, and performance measures?  

  • How likely is it that the proposed project will succeed?  

  • How does this project support the financial stability of its goals beyond the grant term?  

  • Is local funding available for this project?   

  • If outside funding is necessary for project implementation, has that funding been secured? 

• Project readiness.  

  • How well does the application describe the project timeline and milestones, in particular for the first 30 days?  

  • How reasonable is the timeline of the proposed project?  

  • How well thought-out is the project? For example, how well do the goals, timeline, and budget align?  

  • How well did the applicant identify potential challenges and how they would respond to those challenges?   

C. Review and Selection Process  

A Review Committee will evaluate proposals based on the above evaluation criteria. Only applications that meet the minimum criteria will be reviewed. Each acceptable application will be reviewed independently by at least three people on the Review Committee.    

In determining the allocation of program funds, National RTAP may consider geographic context, the size of the transit systems receiving funding, and the applicant’s receipt of other competitive awards.